Bottom Line

• TECHNOLOGY. Wireless carrier Sprint has brought on TwinLogic Strategies — and its Hill-connected lobbyists — to represent the company on spectrum and cybersecurity-related issues. Former senior staffers and counsel for lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet are on the account, documents show.

• TRANSPORTATION. The US-Japan High-Speed Rail Company has hired the Texas-based firm Ben Barnes Group to talk to the federal government about “high-speed rail.” The construction company, based in Washington, created the N700-I Bullet train operating system and says it is “committed” to bringing it to international the market.

{mosads}Toyota Motors hired Lugar Hellmann Group to monitor transportation issues for the company, which recently announced it is trying to shed its “boring” image. The best-selling Japanese brand has a few other K Street firms working on its behalf, including Barbour Griffith and Rogers. 

• RETAIL. Beer master Anheuser-Busch is lobbying up, hiring Forbes-Tate to handle issues related to “brewing, manufacturing and recycling.” The beer giant retains several lobbying firms and reported spending more than $3 million last year on government relations. Earlier this year, the Justice Department allowed Anheuser-Busch — the largest brewer of beers sold in the United States — to merge with Modelo, the third largest U.S. brewer.

• REGULATORY. A former member of Congress is lobbying for PEW Charitable Trusts as it seeks to influence the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act. Ex-Rep. James Bacchus (D-Fla.), the chair of Greenberg Traurig’s global practice, is listed on the account. Lobbyists at the firm plan to lobby on “food imports and food safety.”

• ENERGY. The National Biodiesel Board is looking for influence over tax reform and the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuels standard, hiring Polsinelli PC to lobby on its behalf. Former Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.), who once served on the House Ways and Means Committee, will be working for the trade group on those issues and “other matters affecting the US biodiesel industry.”